Inmates’ Motivation for Prison Education

• In Event: From the Margins to the Middle: Centering Learners From Understudied Environments

Abstract

This paper examined what motivates inmates to participate in prison education (PE). Recidivism rates, i.e. the number of inmates returning to prison after release, are often high. Receiving an education leads to a more stable life after release, leading to a reduced chance of recidivism. To be able to aid inmates in their reintegration, it is important to understand why some do participate in PE and why some do not. In this study, the self-determination theory (SDT) was used to categorize what type of motivation inmates have who participate in PE. Six categories were used; amotivation, external, introjected, identified, and internal motivation. Results revealed that the latter two are the most common motivation types among inmates who participated in PE.

Authors

• Sofie Loyens, Utrecht University

• Emma Van Vlimmeren, Utrecht University

• Remigius M. Rikers, Utrecht University